Spaghetti Party

You may be thinking "oh how fun, a party where everyone eats spaghetti!". Nope, we swim and play in it! Once Kyden warmed up to the idea, he loved it. Braden on the other hand really didn't like it much. It was fun to be with cousins anyway. (July 27th)

The exhausted boys after playing all afternoon!

Peterson Family Pictures

This is the first time that all the Peterson's have been together for 2 years and since the last family picture, 2 children have been added to the family (with one on the way) so it was time for a new one. Since Jesse got home, everyone was visiting so it was perfect time to get pictures. Caroline Anderson took our pictures and I think they turned out pretty good. Although the children could have cooperated a bit more, oh well!


How do you get 3 children to sit still? Especially when two of them are 2 year olds! Braden tried to get them to stay still!
Grandparents with there Grandkids!
This one is a little bit better?!!
I think the outside pictures turned out better and the kids did a little better too. So this is everyone--from left to right: Jesse, Brielle, Jessica, Travis, Mickie, Kent, Kyden, Jason, Candi, Braden, Jerico and Doug.

I love this one. His eyes get me every time!
What a handsome stud!
Now this one on the other hand--what a cutie but what a handful! He didn't want his picture taken--hence we didn't get any of the 2 boys together and I didn't realize it until we were leaving! We tried! But he still melts my heart!

And we couldn't forget a picture of our only cousin Brielle! Kyden and Brielle are only 3 months apart! Cutie! It was fun seeing her especially since we only get to see her once a year if that!

Peterson and Searle Reunions

Two of our big family reunions this summer happened to fall on the exact same weekend, but isn't that how if always goes--you don't have a thing going on for weeks and then everything seems to happen at once! So, Uncle Jesse got home from his mission July 12th, we left July 14th for Boise for the big Peterson Reunion (which they only hold every other year). We stayed there until Friday the 16th when we headed home for the big Searle Reunion that started Friday and ended Saturday. Uncle Jesse spoke in church Sunday and then everything slowed down just a bit (not really--seriously who am I kidding--life never slows down)!

The boys loved sleeping in the tent. They slept all night and ended up pretty much on top of each other! They played hard!
We got to go to white water rafting while we were in Boise at the reunion. It was a ton of fun! Braden even loved every minute of it. The only bummer about it was we took Kyden because we had called and they said he could go. Well, we got there and they said the water was running a little high today so he couldn't go. Yah, and the mean parents we are we left him in the day care there at the raft place. It broke my heart. I've never left him anywhere that he doesn't know a single person so it was tough. But I'm glad now that he stayed because it was a little rougher than I thought it would be and he probably wouldn't have liked it that much.
We got soaked--obviously! The instructors even left us get out and swim in the calm parts. We had a blast!




We also went to a Wizard of Oz play. I didn't really think about it until we got to the mountains where the play was that I don't even like the Wizard of Oz. I never have. Growing up watching it, it gave me the creeps and I just don't like it. Anyway, it was interesting to say the least. And Braden HATED it!! He even got so scared he started crying and we had to take him out--before intermission. It was a lower scale play so they did the best with the props they had. But it lasted over 3 HOURS LONG!! Wowsers!! Jason and Braden spent there time watching from the outside gate. About 20 minutes into the show Braden turned to me and said "Wow, this is weird and boring!" He's got his own personality alright. The funniest part was the munchins. All the people were on rolling stools and had big dresses on. Yah, I can't describe it very good and we weren't allowed to take pictures, but it was funny!

Now for the Searle family reunion. It was just low key this year which I actually loved. They went to a temple session Friday night (which we missed since we were driving home). The kids who could did baptisms early Saturday morning. Breakfast was at 9 at my aunts and uncles house and it was fabulous. We had a program and visiting and lunch! It was fun!


The kids in the jumperoo thing.

Grandpa and Grandma singing there little song.

When I started dreaming a lot...

That's when I knew I was pregnant--Weird but I hardly ever dream except when I'm pregnant so that was one of my first clues to know I was pregnant!! 3rd child is on it's way and will make his/her entrance February 2nd (or before!!)--so that makes me almost 17 weeks now. We are all super excited! Braden thinks the baby is a girl so guess we'll see in a couple weeks. I would love to have a girl but I won't be disappointed if it is a boy because I just love my boys! I am feeling pretty good now since I'm in the best part of pregnancy--you know not as nauseous all the time and not quite so tired (at least that's how my 2nd trimesters go). Plus everyone is finding out so it's not like I'm just gaining weight cause I'm eating to much--there's a baby growing inside me!

Million Mothers for Haiti

A couple months ago, Jason and I were invited to Hope for Haiti Dinner because he was a volunteer for the Utah Hospital Task Force that went to Haiti in January. It was a very neat experience and I’m so glad that it worked out for us to attend. They recognized the members of the Utah Hospital Task Force (UHTF) and had one member of each team (medical, translator, construction) talk about what it was like in Haiti. The nurse that spoke really touched me because she told about a Haitian mother that came to get help because she had a 9 month old nursing baby and was pregnant again. She wasn’t getting enough food so she couldn’t produce milk to feed her baby and there was NOTHING she could do about it. It made me so sad to realize how much I am blessed with and how little they have. I mean if any mother in America cannot produce milk or chooses not to, she can usually find the means to buy formula. That isn’t even an option there—nothing is. This nurse that spoke had to send this mother away because there was nothing she could do besides give her a granola bar and hope for the best. I feel so helpless when my boys want a SNACK and I don’t have anything—these children and adults go days, maybe weeks without so much as a spoonful of rice. It just makes me want to cry. They have never really had a hospital with a maternity center in Haiti, but at this dinner they announced the building of the American Hospital in Haiti which will include a Women’s Clinic and Pediatric Center. The man that put the UHTF together is amazing. Before the earthquake took place, he had no ties to Haiti but I guess he felt a pull to do something and ever since the UHTF came back, he has wanted to do more so he is pulling in all directions for this hospital. They also created the Million Mothers for Haiti— “We are strong because we have to be: A Million Mothers, a Million Strong” and they want to get a million mothers to donate $12 to go towards this Women’s clinic. I think it is such a wonderful opportunity to serve in such a small way. Or maybe I just feel tied to this because my husband loves the people of Haiti and we talk about hem all the time. Just go check it out at www.gifthaiti.org .They showed this incredible video at the dinner that I have been trying to download so that you could all watch it but its too big so if anyone knows how to shrink it, let me know! It’s worth seeing (although it may make you cry). One last thing, Elder Ballard was in attendance that evening also which was also a treat. (He walked right behind me and Jason didn't even say a word to me--I just kept gabbing away to some of the other women there--what a little stinker for not telling me. At least Jason redeemed himself later by being close enough to have us both shake his hand.) Elder Ballard gave a few remarks and the closing prayer. He said “May our efforts this evening be the beginning of a new era in our human compassion.” What a wonderful thing to hear from a servant of the Lord!

Uncle Jesse's Home

July 12, 2010--Can you believe it? Cause we can't! Uncle Jesse's home from serving a 2 year mission to Korea. We are so happy he is home! He looks great! And he served a wonderful mission.

Here are the kids posing with there signs before Jesse flew in. Another plus about Jesse coming home was being able to see Grandpa and Grandma again since they went to pick Jesse up and had been gone for a week. Plus we hadn't seen cousin Brielle (and her parents Travis and Jessica--we love you too) for almost a year and they flew in from Texas and will be here for a couple weeks. It's a fun and busy time!

He's here! Braden ran right up to him and gave him a big hug! He kept telling me that he thought maybe Jesse would think that Kyden was him. Funny boy!
3 brothers

Kyden was super excited to see Jesse before he got there and then he got a little nervous to actually see him. He was only 2 months old when Jesse left so he doesn't remember him at all. I'm sure that will change pretty quick though.


The 3 little cousins! The only grand kids in this family!
All the handsome brothers together! I think I did the wrong pictures because the one I picked to do, Jason was looking at the camera! Oh well!
Can you tell that the kids had enough pictures? It was bedtime!
Braden and Kyden sporting there new Korean soccer jerseys! They love them! They both think there pretty cool wearing them. They wore them to bed and then all day the next day! What little cuties!

Swimming Lessons

June 28-July 9
This was Braden's first year of swimming lessons and he loved it after the first 3 days. The first 3 days were torture. He cried, he would barely get in the water, he would look the other way when his teachers were talking to him pretending to not listen, he would ask me how much longer he had to be in the water, I had to stand inside the fence the whole time, bribe him..... Then day 4 hit and he was a changed boy. No more crying. He walked right into the water smiling and talked to his teachers. He knew exactly what to do since he HAD been listening to his teachers the whole time. He even stayed in the freezing cold water since the second week was a bit windy and cold (ya you would think July would be hot but not this year). He now actually wants to know why swimming lessons are over and wants to take them again--sorry bud we'll try for next year.

On the last day, they got to get life jackets on and jump off the diving board and go down the slide. I really didn't think he would have anything to do with any of those things. He was scared to wear a life jacket because he's worn one before and he would just flip everywhere. We kept talking to him and he finally agreed to try the life jacket on just for me. He did and LOVED it! He even went off the diving board 3 times and the slide 2 times. He was the only one in his class that went more than once. SHOCKER!! His teacher kept asking him if he wanted to jump again and he'd casually say "sure". What a funny boy! Love him!

This is him right after he jumped off the diving board for the first time. Doesn't he look so happy and proud of himself?!



The choo choo train. This is what Kyden loved to watch Braden do since he loves trains.
Quincy and Braden on the last day of swimming.